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Happy New Year! At this reading we are three or four days into 2019. School and work schedules have resumed and meals must be prepared to fuel day to day activities. Some folks have made New Years resolutions, and many of those include diet and exercise, eating healthy or eating less processed foods. Adapting recipes to accommodate all the families desires, and the need for easy and quick to fix meals takes a bit on ingenuity. In bygone days grandmothers handed down cooking...

Gifts from the kitchen lend a personal touch when shared with family and friends. Homemade and from scratch recipes make gifts and events more festive. Eggnog, a traditional holiday beverage, is a cut above when homemade. It takes some forethought, as the base must be made and chilled at least four hours before serving time, but the end result is well worth the extra planning. Holiday Eggnog 12 large eggs 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 quarts whole milk 1 cup... Full story

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Pumpkin, squash and winter cooking apples are plentiful in markets and stores right now. Fortunately, there is no end to the number and variety of recipes for preparing these fall fruits and vegetables. Awesome Country Apple Fritter Bread has been on my Pinterest “To Try” list for sometime. I recently made this to share at an afternoon meeting and the loaf quickly disappeared. The recipe was posted by Kim Lange, and is very easy to prepare, working well with any variety of... Full story

Early November is a good time to get a head start on holiday meal preparation. Roasting a turkey hindquarter and using the drippings to make gravy to freeze for use at Thanksgiving or Christmas, will assure ample gravy for a crowd. Seasoning the hindquarter as you would the holiday bird will insure a flavorful gravy. Shops and markets boast a vast array of seasoning mixes, rubs and salts, and usually carry a hefty price tag as well. Make your own allows you to adjusting to... Full story

Welcome to all Deutschesfest attendees reading this column. Readers share their recipes, and I do my best to test results, so all can successfully make the delicious dishes shared by Odessa cooks. All readers are invited to submit recipes. In light of Deutschesfest, our first recipe this week is Scalloped Cabbage. Kathy Ashe brought this to a recent potluck and received numerous recipe requests. She got the recipe while living in Minnesota, so the dish may have Scandinavian ro... Full story

Odessa gardens typically produce an abundance of zucchini squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables this time of year. Hot weather is past, nights are still warm so bees increase activity, pollinating garden blooms, producing more vegetables than needed for daily meals. Slow-cooker to the rescue. Large quantities of soup and sauces may be made in a slow-cooker, then divided into freezer containers, frozen to be used later. Freezer zip-closure bags are convenient for...

Quilters tend to be good cooks and bakers. Attend any quilting related event that includes a potluck meal and you will come away well sated and with a handful of new recipes. Grape nuts-Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies were among the selections at a Moses Lake event I attended in June. Though I have not tracked down the baker, I did find a so named recipe on line at www.geniuskitchen .com, that is likely the same recipe. These crunchy cookies would be a nice addition to a harvest...

Salads are a great way to keep the family fed on hot days, or, as a side dish anytime of the year. Any preparation cooking needed can be done early in the day while you can open windows for ventilation. Your slow-cooker is handy for cooking many salad ingredients. If you have a protected area outdoors, use your slow-cooker outside. Chicken breasts cook nicely over night. Mama Scheller’s Chicken Salad, a recipe developed by Kerry Scheller, has been a favorite in her family f...

Summertime is ideal for teaching kids to cook. By age 9, young people can begin to master dishes involving boiling water for cooking pasta, eggs and packaged meals, measuring and mixing ingredients for cookies and muffins, and oven baking. Once they are familiar with how a range and oven works, and learn general safety precautions, they can begin mastering, blenders, mixers, food processors and other kitchen implements. Most kids start of with reheating food in a microwave...

Salad season, school is out and pool time; recipes in this column are mostly from Odessa Friends of the Pool Cookbooks. Barb Schlimmer’s Taco Salad is always a hit at any event she brings it to. The recipe is found in the cookbook titled “Returning to the Kitchen with Friends of the Pool”. Make the bulk of the salad the night before and have the lettuce and chips prepped for easy finishing the next day. Taco Salad 1 pound hamburger 1 head lettuce 2 tomatoes 4 green onions 1 av...

Graduation season is here and high school and college graduation celebrations abound. Most years this column features salads and sides for a crowd suggestions for all the celebrations, but this year the column is aimed toward the parents, the soon to be empty nesters who need to figure out cooking for less people. There are several difficulties inherent to cooking for two. Packages, cans and bottles are geared to 4 to 6 servings. What do you do with the rest? Recipes for two...

Rhubarb is in plentiful supply in local gardens and area supermarket. Sauces, pies, chutneys, cookies, even salad recipes abound for preparing this prolific spring and early summer fruit. Crust-less Rhubarb Pie is a recipe I developed a number of years ago. This pie works well with fresh or frozen rhubarb and is quick and easy to prepare. Crust-less Rhubarb Pie Filling: 6 cups sliced rhubarb 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg Batter: 1 cup g...

With the passing of Barbara Bush this past week, it seems appropriate to share her recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. During the 1992 Bush/Clinton presidential campaign a family favorite from each of the candidates wives were shared with the public. The recipe is very similar to the recipe 4H Cooking Clubs used in the 1950’s, when chocolate chips only came in 6 ounce packages and brown sugar was commonly measured by tablespoons in recipes. This is a small batch recipe. I r...

Asparagus season has begun. Though we can buy asparagus in the supermarket most of the year, fresh locally grown is a cut above in flavor and texture. Keeping the fresh flavor and texture is all in the preparation and cooking process; and desired texture is a matter of personal taste. Most folks prefer a tender crisp texture, but achieving those results requires attention to detail. I was recently asked about a method of cooking asparagus upright in a canning jar. The history...

Spring keeps tempting us with bits of sunshine between bouts of April downpours. The ground is too soggy to do much garden preparation, so it is a good time to clean out your freezer. Those who purchase a whole beef and have it cut to order, may find an oxtail among the end of season packages. Oxtail Stew is a rich, savory dish, but it requires some long, slow, cooking times. Using a slow-cooker to prepare this dish makes the process manageable. The key to a good mild flavor...

This week we have an assortment of culinary odds and ends, some with Easter dinner in mind, others, answers to recipe requests and cooking inquiries. Often it is a little trick or tip, or knowing exactly which brand to purchase, that insures exact results. Several weeks ago, Debbie Buscher brought some tasty crackers and a sweet bread for a Sunday coffee hour. Many asked for the recipes. Debbie reports, both were purchased at Costco. They looked and tasted homemade. The...

Spring officially begins March 20th. Snowdrops and crocus are blooming, birds are flitting about searching out nesting material. I pulled a few dry weeds and laid them on the garden path to pick up latter. A minute later, a small wren was carrying off choice bits. French Toast is a favorite for spring morning breakfasts, and as we move into the fresh fruit and berry seasons. I recently was in charge of French Toast for a youth breakfast and was asked for the recipe. I make...

Soup weather is still with us. Over the past year I have added several soup recipes to my collection. All have been made several times and continue to turn out well. Salmon Chowder is an easy to prepare recipe featuring pantry staples. Keep the canned ingredients on hand for spur of the moment company meals or everyday family meals. Salmon Chowder 1 small onion, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced 1 Tbsp butter or olive oil 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup...

Potluck meals are easy on the host as attendees are involved in the meal preparation. Often the event host provides the main dish with guests providing the side dishes. Occasionally side dishes are assigned by alphabet, A-G Salads, H-M Casseroles, N-S Vegetables, T-Z Desserts, or some similar division, but generally invitations just say potluck. What shall I bring? Salad? Casserole? Taco Chef Salad fits both categories. Easy to prepare, the recipe can be doubled, and...

My cookbook collection grew considerably over the past year. Several collections and individual books were gifted to me. There is only so much shelf space so it is time to work through the new additions to see what I want to keep. My rule, there has to be at least two keeper recipes in it. The Church Supper Cookbook, A special Collection of Over 400 Potluck Recipes From Families and Churches Across the Country, edited by David Joachim, has made the cut. Thick Spiced Lentil Sou...

Cold, damp weather, plus cold and flu season is here, but still we have to eat. Chicken soup is good for what ails you, or if you are one of the rare, lucky ones who have skipped the bugs this year, chicken soup is a savory, warm dish for winter days. Soup from a can will keep you from starving, but it is a poor substitute for homemade. You might ask, who has time or energy to make soup when you don’t feel good? Chicken Wing Broth is an easy substitute for simmering a s...

Happy 2018. Long time readers may remember, I like to start the new year by sorting out my pantry, making plans to use items nearing a pull date or donating to the food bank so they don’t go to waste. Of course past dated items get tossed out, but I am happy to report I found no such items this year. I encourage you readers to do a pantry sort out as well. Not having unusable or unwanted items cluttering your cupboards makes meal preparation easier. Donate unopened n...

There are just a few days left before Christmas. Hopefully most of your baking is done, and make ahead recipes prepared. Some of this columns offering may help if you are a bit behind. Several requests have come in for reprinting Luscious Lemon Bars. This is my go to recipe for just about any occasion. Only basic ingredients, but it is preparation process that makes them turn out with a light crust, yummy filling and a slightly crispy surface. Luscious Lemon Bars Crust: 1/2...

Christmas baking season has arrived. Whether you are preparing for family gatherings in your home, or making to take as part of a potluck, planning ahead will make the preparation easier. Making a list of dishes to prepare, then add needed ingredients to your shopping list, so they get purchased and are on hand when you are ready to bake. This can make your holiday kitchen preparations less stressful. Billie O’Mack of Snohomish, my sister, sent a recipe for Rocky Road P...